In one case the Office of Special Counsel, which investigates federal employees who conduct politics on government time, said it was "commonplace" in a Dallas IRS office for employees to have pro-Obama screensavers on their computers, and to have campaign-style buttons and stickers at their office.In another case, a worker at the tax agency's customer help line urged taxpayers "to re-elect President B.O. in 2012 by repeatedly reciting a chant based on the spelling of his last name," the Office of Special Counsel said in a statement.
OSC said it is seeking "significant disciplinary action" against that employee.
Another IRS employee in Kentucky has agreed to serve a 14-day suspension for blasting Republicans in a conversation with a taxpayer.
"They're going to take women back 40 years," the IRS employee said in a conversation that was recorded. The employee also said that "if you vote for a Republican, the rich are going to get richer and the poor are going to get poorer."
That employee went on to tell the taxpayer she knew she wasn't supposed to be voicing her political opinions, and asked the taxpayer not to say anything.
In the Dallas situation, the OSC issued a letter to employees reminding them they aren't allowed to do anything that would appear to be campaigning.
"Specifically, it was alleged that employees have worn partisan political stickers, buttons, and clothing to work and have displayed partisan political screensavers on their IRS computers. It was alleged that these items expressed support for President Barack Obama
...Dreams of My Sainted Father
," the OSC said.
The federal Hatch Act prohibits most government employees from conducting politics on government time. OSC is charged with looking into those violations.